xiv A VISIT TO THE GARDEN TO-DAY 201 



to an ancient medlar, a service tree and some yews. 

 A Turkish hazel (Corylus Colurna L.), 8 feet in girth, 

 is Fothergill's according to long tradition. Some of the 

 forest trees in the park are also doubtless of Fothergill's 

 time : especially a plane tree of singular size and sym- 

 metry, still in its full strength; and a noble Ailantus, a 

 tree introduced by Collinson in 1751 from China, where 

 it is called from its stature and beauty the " tree of 

 heaven." 



As the writer viewed the scene, the rays of the low 

 sun shone upon the old and dying trees and ivied stumps, 

 and there was sadness in the thought of the final passing 

 away, with these tokens, of the good doctor's garden, 

 where choice products of far continents were once col- 

 lected. But the sun shone, too, on groups of children 

 at play in the park, upon avenues of young plane trees, 

 and upon flower-beds gay even in the autumn season. 

 Life is renewed from one age to another, and the enter- 

 prise of Fothergill and his love of flowers have gone to 

 enrich our knowledge and to build v up the heritage we 

 enjoy. His garden has passed to no unworthy use. 1 



Dr. Fothergill introduced many new plants into 

 Britain, or cultivated them from seed brought from their 

 native soil. 



1 Fothergill's grounds extended to the Romford Road, along which he 

 made a plantation, and another on the eastern side, adjoining what was then 

 Lady Margaret's field ; this consisted of oaks, raised from acorns brought 

 from the mountainous parts of Portugal. His principal entrance seems to 

 have been in this road, between two octagonal lodges. The place was occupied 

 by James Sheppard from 1800 to 1812 ; then by his son-in-law, Samuel 

 Gurney, till 1856. In 1835 there were many of Fothergill's trees still in the 

 ground, some of them of fine proportions. A list of a few of them is given by 

 Loudon (Arboretum, i. 71). S. Gurney also planted much, and the Cockspur 

 Thorn, Araucaria, Deodar, tulip tree, Pinus ponderosa and cyrenaica and 

 others now standing are more probably his than the doctor's. After S. 

 Gurney's death, his grandson, John Gurney of Sprowston Hall, sold the 

 estate at the reduced price of 25,000 for the purposes of a public park, his 

 family contributing 10,000 towards this amount. The needful funds were 

 raised after prolonged efforts, the Corporation of London generously supplying 

 10,000, and the park was opened to the public in 1874. The author is 

 indebted to the late Dr. G. Pagenstecher of West Ham, deservedly regarded 

 as the " Father " of the park, for his kind offices and much information, 

 derived from memories of sixty years ; as well as to Mr. Russell the present 

 Superintendent. See Foth., Works, iii. ; Katherine Fry, History of East & 

 West Ham, p. 233 ; Dr. Pagenstecher, Story of West Ham Park, 2nd 

 ed., 1908. 



